Entropy Encoding With Estimated Quantization Intervals

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Solution Overview

Problem

The variation in quantization intervals per region in an image or other types of information leads to an increase in data amount, potentially exceeding transmission capacity and causing transmission delays and image quality deterioration.

Innovation Solution

An encoding device and decoding device that estimate a quantization interval based on processed quantized values and determine a probability distribution of quantization value candidates, using entropy encoding and decoding to manage the quantization process without providing explicit information on the quantization interval.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If different quantization rates are set for different regions to improve compression control, then image quality in regions of interest is improved, but the amount of information about quantization intervals increases causing transmission delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary quantization interval information from the original detailed per-region quantization settings. By using image segmenting means to divide the image into regions and then selecting representative quantization intervals for each region rather than transmitting all detailed quantization parameters, the system maintains image quality while reducing the amount of transmitted information about quantization intervals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of directly transmitting detailed quantization interval information for each region, the patent inverts the approach by using image segmenting means to first divide the image into regions, then using quantization rate setting means to assign quantization intervals to these segmented regions. This indirect method reduces the information overhead compared to direct transmission of all quantization parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Measurement precision

If detailed areas of interest are set to improve image quality, then compression control is enhanced, but quantization interval fluctuation increases leading to data amount exceeding transmission capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoiddata amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using image segmenting means to divide the image into different regions (such as regions of interest and non-interest areas) and assigning different quantization intervals to each region. This allows finer control over image quality in important areas while using coarser quantization in less important areas, thereby maintaining overall image quality while reducing the total data amount and preventing transmission capacity overload.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12425594B2Encoding device, decoding device, encoding method, decoding method, and program

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 NEC CORP

AI summary

Estimating determines, on the basis of processed quantized values, a quantization interval for quantizing input element values, which are elements of input values serving as a processing object and determines, on the basis of the processed quantized values, a probability distribution of quantization value candidates, which are candidates of quantized values of the input element values; quantizing uses the quantization interval to quantize the input element values and determine a quantized value; and entropy encoding uses the probability distribution to perform entropy encoding of a quantization time sequence which includes quantized value codes indicating the quantized values of the input element values.